Mobile machines, such as excavators, wheeled and tracked loaders, mining shovels, backhoe loaders, and/or other machines have tool systems that include a linkage system driven by hydraulic actuators and a work tool connected to the linkage system. Some work tools, such as buckets, include a plurality of “tips” attached to an edge of the bucket for breaking through various types of materials, such as soil, rock, aggregate piles, demolition debris, and/or other types of materials. Different types of tips are often designed and employed for performing particular tasks or for breaking through particular types of material. Over time, the tips of a work tool can wear down as a result of their use, which can cause the tips to become dull, shorter in length, and develop more rounded features. Worn tips are typically replaced on a periodic basis or as needed, depending on wear rate and task requirements.
In some situations, it can be challenging for operators or on-site maintenance personnel to determine the optimum time to replace the tips of a work tool. While it is desirable to change the tips often enough to prevent damage to the tip mounting system and to other parts of the work tool, it is also economically advantageous to utilize the full useful life of a set of tips before replacing them. However, determining precisely when to replace tool tips can be difficult for operators that are in the field or are away from maintenance facilities, since not all operators may be familiar with the wear characteristics of tool tips. Additionally, it can be difficult to become familiar with several different types of tool tips that may each have different wear characteristics.
One method of detecting a broken or worn tooth attached to a work tool is discussed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0339810 A1 of Lim et al. (the '810 publication) that published on Nov. 26, 2015. The method of the '810 publication includes detecting a broken or worn tooth by capturing successive images of the tooth. A current tool image is received and analyzed to determine feature characteristics of the tooth. When certain feature characteristics are detected, the current image is compared to a plurality of previously analyzed images of the tooth. The previously analyzed images of the tooth are each associated with a predetermined wear level. If the current image is sufficiently similar to a previously analyzed image, the tooth is determined to be at the wear level associated with the previously analyzed image and an alert is generated if the tooth is sufficiently worn.
While the system of the '810 publication may associate detected tooth features with previously determined wear levels, it may not be optimum. For example, the alarm generated using the method of the '810 publication may not convey wear information to an operator with sufficient time to plan for the possibility of changing a tooth prior to critical wearing. Further, using the method of the '810 publication may not be efficient or convenient for users that engage multiple machines on a regular basis and require an expedient analysis tool.
The disclosed tool erosion detecting system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.